The most horrendous accidents are those that take the life of an innocent person. There is no adequate compensation for a life cut short or for the heartache of families who have a loved one ripped away. However, a wrongful death lawsuit can hold responsible parties accountable in some measure, and help give grieving families closure. At Patterson Law LLC in Fort Wayne, we assist clients who’ve suffered tragic losses with highly professional, compassionate representation. We aggressively pursue compensation not only to relieve any financial hardship your loved one’s death might have caused, but also to ensure that similar tragedies don’t happen in the future.
Common causes of wrongful death are similar to those in personal injury cases. The only difference is that the injuries were severe enough to be fatal. Our firm handles wrongful death litigation arising from:
As with people bringing personal injury claims, wrongful death plaintiffs must prove a defendant had a duty of care that they breached through an act or omission that was negligent, reckless or deliberate, and that the act or omission directly caused injuries that led to death.
Wrongful death cases can be complex, and the stakes are high. We have ample experience with cases involving catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. You can trust us to be meticulous when assembling the evidence necessary to build a compelling case.
The defendant in a wrongful death case is a person or entity that had a duty to act with care toward the decedent but failed to do so, causing the death. We manage cases against various defendants, such as:
Insurance companies representing any of these defendants will take aggressive actions to defend them. Our law firm has the experience and resources to prosecute a case against even the most powerful, well-defended parties.
Indiana law allows two years from the date of death for a personal representative of the decedent’s estate to file a wrongful death action. However, the sooner you begin your case, the better. Most wrongful death cases begin as insurance claims, but you should retain an attorney before attempting to settle the claim yourself. Often, it’s necessary to file a lawsuit to subpoena documents that can prove the case. Evidence of negligence can be hidden in company records, which you will never have access to unless you file a lawsuit. Therefore, you should never agree to any settlement before consulting an attorney you can rely on to represent your interests capably and professionally. At Patterson Law, you get professional counsel you can trust to aggressively assert your rights and pursue justice for your loss.
Patterson Law LLC in Fort Wayne represents next-of-kin whose loved ones have been killed in various types of injury events. To schedule a consultation, please call 260-247-8383 or contact us online.